The White House announced on Sunday that it was planning on removing a magnolia tree planted on the property nearly 200 years ago after being brought to D.C. from former President Andrew Jackson’s home in Tennessee.
Trump announced his plan to remove the tree on Sunday after he consulted with the Executive Residence Staff and the National Park Service.
The administration shared that the tree is being replaced as it currently poses a safety hazard.
“The bad news is that everything must come to an end, and this tree is in terrible condition, a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House Entrance, no less, and must now be removed,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, noting that the “good news” is that his administration is “making tremendous enhancements to the White House.”
“This process will take place next week, and will be replaced by another, very beautiful tree,” Trump said.
Trump went on to say that White House staff would work to preserve the magnolia tree’s “historic wood” so that it could be “used for other high and noble purposes!!!”
The tree was planted with seeds from a tree at Hermitage, Jackson’s home in Tennessee. It was meant to honor his late wife, Rachel, who died months before Jackson became president.
The National Park Service previously reported that efforts have been made to try to preserve the tree for decades, including a “significant branch removal and pruning in December 2017.”